21 Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

Most times aspiring employees fall into the trap of undoing themselves during interviews. This has constantly been the reason why some people remain unemployed - the inability to respond well to questions during interview sessions.

Interviews are the best times to be calm and collected. Don't put yourself under unnecessary tension. Be confident in your "not so conspicuous" skills.

Below, we present you with few interview questions that has left many on the hustling streets of unemployment.1) Tell us about yourselfMind you, the interviewer does not want to hear what is already on your resume. Job applicants fall into the trap of discussing what has being written on their resume. Do you think the interviewer would not go through your CV before calling you for an interview? Then why repeat lines? That means they know one or two things about you. Infact most times, the interviewer will have a copy of your CV with him as he/she interviews you. This is why it is not a very good time to repeat everything you have written on your CV. Use this opportunity to say something about how you fit into the job role or company. Use it as an opportunity to sell yourself.

2 What Are Your Weaknesses?Most times, job applicants fall into the error of saying they have no weaknesses. Trust, the interviewer has heard it all a couple, if not million times. Tell them of that weakness(es) you’re actively working on overcoming and you should be able to present to the interviewer how you’re working on it. Mind you, do not project laziness as a weakness or a sickness record; no organization want to hire a lazy soul or headache-sufferer.

In addition, you can give your knowledge gap in the role you’re being interviewed for as a weakness and how you’re seriously working on developing the skill set to cover the gap.

3) Are you willing to relocate?There is no rel answer between Yes or No. The right answer depends on what the job requirement is, and what the job description is. Does the job require that you travel a lot, then the right answer will be Yes. Even if it is not stated explicitly that you will be travelling, take a moment to think about the job you are applying for.

4) What accomplishment are you mostly proud of?When interviewers ask these questions, they want to know what you hold dear. Flex your achievement muscles and tell them what you have done and proud of. If it’s really worth a nod, you will get it.

5) Tell us about yourselfEven though the interviewer might probably have gone through your resume, here is an opportunity to brief going through your resume in a chronological order. Be brief and straight to the point. If there is a point you want to emphasize in your resume, here is the opportunity to sharply draw the recruiters attention to this point in your CV.

6) What are your salary requirements?This is one of the most dreaded questions candidates do not want to answer. Either you are a die-hard job seeker or a fresher; you still have to give answer to this question. Fortunately there is no wrong or right answer. Charging too high might look greedy and charging too low might make you look desperate for the job. Whatever salary you are asking for, make sure it is reasonable, it is something you can defend and based on proper research carried out on companies and jobs of related niche.

7) Why do you need a new job?Excuses like Low wages, Wicked boss, not conducive working environment, no appropriate compensation ; these are no-say statements to answer this kind of question. Rather talk about the new job role you want to fit in and why you are in love with it. If it is the same job, then talk about the new company and why you think their brand is great.

8) Who are our competitors?This question is to let your prospective employer know if you have made research the company you want to work for and how well you know the brand. If you fail this question, it reveals your lack of preparation, insinuating that you are not taking the job too seriously. Before you attend any interview, you should not only research the company but also its niche.

9) Are you a leader or a follower?Don’t play too smart by jumping at the option of being a leader. Calm your nerves and then selectively give an answer that is appropriate to the new role you are been interviewed for. The new role might be meant for followers and not leaders.

10) Where do you see yourself in 5 years?What the interviewer simply wants to know here is if you have defined your career path and know what you want to be. No one is ready to hire a man without vision. Meanwhile, pass your boundary not, this is not the time to tell them you will be the MD of the company in 5 years time. Your interviewer will only probably turn out to be the MD of the company, you think he would employ someone who is ready to take over his job in 5 years time?

11) What are some of your leadership experiences?You may not have held an important title but remember that time you were in the boy’s scout and you had to lead a team. Remember any task you have done as long as it is remotely connected to leadership role and emphasis how you were able to led the team.

12) Who’s your mentor?Mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser. Whosoever you decide to mention as your mentor in order for you to properly answer this question, you must be able to explain why you are picking such a person because it will be asked, also how the person has positively or will positively influence you.

13) How would you deal with an angry customer?This is a no-brainier but also a technical question. The interviewer is interested in knowing how you treat people and how well you relate with others. If you have a previous experience in your job, probably you have worked in a position where you had to interface with customers or client, then draw from that experience.

14) What is the name of our CEO?Indirectly asking, how well do you know the company? Research the company before you go for the interview. Find out their core values, which the management is and possibly, check out their profile on twitter to know what interests them. The CEO might just be sitting in the room and if you can show how well you know him, then you might just have nailed the interview.

15) Discuss your educational backgroundThis is quite different from the story of your life. Highlight the certificates you acquired and the skills you have acquired through this education that will make you a more suitable person for the job.

16) What Are Your Strength(s)?This is by no means an easy question and a lot of job seekers will fail to deliver what is expected at this point. Most candidates fail not because they do not know what to say but for the lack of the accurate things to say and how to put them. The interviewer already gave you an opportunity to dig deep into his/her mindset and pour into it how awesome you are without being vain about it. The best answer is when you are able to exhibit how you used this strength(s) to carry out a task or perform a job role. Therefore, when answering this question, look for the strength(s) that fit with your present potential role or talk about specific instances of where you were able to get a notable appreciation for using this strength in a job. A good example goes like “When I am given a deadline, I do all I can to keep to it and hardly fail.”

17) Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job or Why Are You Looking For A New Job?One mistake applicants make when answering this question is to speak ill of their present company or totally disrespect their current boss. What happens when the interviewer turns out to have a relationship/an affiliation to the so-called current boss?This is an opportunity to put forward what you’ve learnt from your current job and how you can add value to the prospective job role. Tell the interviewer how ambitious you are and how your present employment does not give you enough opportunity to fully express your ambition, that’s the best hit for the question. Tell the interviewer that you believe and know that his/her organization would give you the playing ground you so much desire.

18) What is your dream job?Only if you are not serious about getting the job, your dream job should be the current job you are applying for. Take time to make the job sound interesting. Tell your interviewer why you love the job and what aspect of the job or industry you love and explain why you want to work with them.

19) Why Should We Hire You?There’s an apparent but too straight-forward and not so justifiable answer to this question, which is that you’re the best for the job. For justification, you need to backup this answer with salient points that differentiate you from other applicants.But how do you do this? Is a question that needs a military attention. Take a look at the specifications of the job and look deep to get an example of a situation where you excelled or simply add value to the job or the project at hand.Alternatively, speak passionately about your achievements while bearing in mind that all you say must be related to the job you’re running for.

20) What questions haven’t we asked you?This question depends on your level of experience. If during the interview, you notice a strength of yours that was not related to any question and can give you an edge; you can use this opportunity to draw the interviewer’s attention to it. Just be ready for any follow-up question that might come up.

21) What questions do you have for us?Never make the mistake of not asking any question. This is your chance to find out things you want to know and haven’t known about the company. In asking your question, do not pass your boundary, there are some questions you should refrain from asking. This is not the time to ask how many times you are free to go on leave or to start negotiating your salary, or probably asking if there are enough ladies around the office, who does that?. Ask intelligent questions like “What drives the company”? or “Who will you be working with”?, “Who held the present role you are been interviewed for and why?”.

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Avoid surprises — interviews need preparation. Some questions come up time and time again — usually about you, your experience and the job itself. We've gathered together the most common questions so you can get your preparation off to a flying start.

You also find all interview questions at link at the end of this post.